Musing on trinkets

I’ve been pondering trinkets for a while since reading Ego’s interesting post on the subject. Because my philosophy is similar but not identical, other trinkets are beginning to look better than her choices, though hers are interesting nonetheless. (Not going to reprint her article – go read it and come back. Heck, go read it whether you intend to come back or not – there’s some good stuff there. I’ll still be here.)
Oh, back? OK, now when I was doing my nearly stream-of-consciousness talent build, one of the things I kept emphasizing as a priority was sustained reliability — getting as close to exactly what I need for healing as consistently as possible, going on for the entire battle REGARDLESS of the battle’s length. It was my problem with crits.

It forces me into a split mindset regarding the XYZ trinkets. On the one hand, the “crit” is CONTROLLABLE – it allows me to get that boosted effect at the instant I need it. Except – and here I agree with Ego – then I’ve got a period where it’s available (and I can’t use it) followed by a period where it’s unavailable. Sustained reliability is shot as I cannot rely on it being available when I need it again. But there is that first ‘on call’….

Like Ego, I wish we could get some “use” trinkets that were “next X spells” instead of so many seconds. Yet the cooldown would still frustrate me some, I suspect. It’s for this reason that when I evaluate trinkets, I do so on their effect alone, and the use is, well, I evaluate it over the time that includes the cooldown. My two big emphases, then, are mana regen and healing bonus. Everything else is nice but…

My favorite “starter” as a high-level – as in I’m going back to get one or maybe two for my main – is the Mind Tap talisman from Dire Maul West. Sure, no stats, no biggies. But… 11 mp5 all the time, and it drops about 10% of the time from Magister Kalendris.

Next, let me present the Heavenly Inspiration – a quest reward from Netherstorm – gives 10 mp5 and an on-use 238 heal-bonus. ( I know I wasn’t going to mention Heroics, but… The Warp-Scarab Brooch is better (13 mp5, 282 +heal on use) but it’s a 10% drop from the Nexus-Prince in Heroic, only. Just letting you know it’s there…)

Finally in this first group, for jewelcrafters only, is the Talasite Owl. At 14 mp5 it’s going to be with you for a long time, and the 900 extra mana on-use is hard to beat.

Ooops – almost forgot. Technically the Rejuvenating Gem is accessible to all the pre-top players, and at equip of BOTH 9 mp5 AND 66 +heal it’s very nice indeed. Unfortunately it’s a boss-drop from Blackwing Lair — a (nominally) 40-man BRS raid. How that stacks against 5-man heroics is… mixed. Let’s just say that if you’re not Kara geared but are 70, it’s theoretically POSSIBLE but VERY CHALLENGING to 20 man. The gem can drop from three of the bosses with a 10% chance (approximate) from each — not terrible bad odds, and you don’t need to get to Nefarian. (Just everyone else. snicker.)

OK, the other category is +heals on equip. While still in Azeroth, the Burst of Knowledge and the Second Wind from BRD are nice with 12 and 22 +heal respectively, especially as their respective on-uses aren’t shabby. (BK reduces mana cost of spells by 100 for 10 seconds, while SW regens 30 mana per second for 10 seconds — 300 mana overall.)

Also in Azeroth, players should drop by Dire Maul with Holy Bologna: What the Light won’t Tell You and pick up a Royal Seal of Eldre’Thalas . 33 +heal is nice, 4 mp5 is nice, and then there’s that +10 fire resistance. Oh, and it’s all on equip — no on-use dancing.

In fact, once you’re in Outland I’ve only found one +heal dedicated trinket that’s pre-Kara(etc) — Auslese’s Light Channeler which gives a very solid 59 +heal, and has a burst that saves (up to) 215 on the next spell cast.

Do I LIKE the prayer book? Yes. But it takes getting revered, which is a fair chunk of time later than I want my stuff. Same goes for the shard and the occulus and a host of other trinkets that are, well, way higher on the food chain.

These are the ones I chased for getting TO the top levels, knowing I’d find things with which to replace them eventually. They aren’t everyone’s preference, though, so take what you need for YOUR playstyle.

About…

I've experience with many priests of many races and specs on several servers. The more I play, the more I realize how much I do not yet know. This is a share of some of what I have learned.
My main these days is Zingiber on the Undermine server.